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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26780062">i don’t know if i can do it</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mssassenach/pseuds/mssassenach'>mssassenach</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>little of your love [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sex Education (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 05:01:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,319</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26780062</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mssassenach/pseuds/mssassenach</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>She was ready to meet Mrs. Milburn, wasn’t she? Oh fuck, she was going to ruin it, she was certain of it<br/>Maeve can’t postpone it anymore, she’ll have to face meeting Jean for the first time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Otis Milburn/Maeve Wiley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>little of your love [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952584</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i don’t know if i can do it</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was inspired by Jhalil156, thank you for all those great ideas. This started to pop in my head and I just went with it.<br/>This is in the same universe as the last fic. Hope you guys enjoy it.</p><p>Once again, this was not beta'd so hope you guys don't mind the typos you find lol</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was still trembling from the call she received. It broke her heart to learn that Elsie was crying every night calling for her mom and… for Maeve. The little dickhead was calling for her and it made her insides ache in agony. She had a moment of relief when they told her she could visit her since her mother was unable at the moment.</p><p>She looked around remembering all the noise they used to make. A month later and she could still hear her mother’s complaints about not finding a proper job or her little sister repeating words she heard them say. Suddenly the walls were closing in on her and she could no longer be here by herself. And she didn’t have to, not anymore.</p><p>That was something that she had to learn yet, get used to the ideia of having someone to count on, someone to share her stuff. Not that she did it often, but she was getting there, she promised him she would, she was tired of facing everything alone, of putting up a tough front to the world. She just wanted to be a young girl, finishing school, looking forward to university and being loved by her boyfriend. That’s what she wanted. Was it too much? She was starting to think it was not, he was making her realize that she was worth it.</p><p>As she grabbed her purse she made up her mind of where she was heading. She told him she had to complete some aptitude scheme stuff first – which was true – and that she would meet him later. Since she couldn’t concentrate to finish her task she decided to anticipate the meeting part. They were supposed to chose a place to meet but maybe he wouldn’t mind if she went to his place, right?</p><p>In the time they were dating she never went to his place, not for the lack of him trying to make it happen, but she still thought of the disastrous dinner with Jackson’s parents and she did not want to repeat that. So she just postponed it…until now. Was she ready for that? As she was climbing the hill, she could barely contain herself, she needed to see him. It was a weird sensation, one that she never felt before that insane need to be with someone, to just be around them. In the beginning of their friendship she fastly learned that his mere presence would calm her, make her feel centred. And that was scary as hell.</p><p>The stars were making their first appearance in the sky and as she looked up she was glad that she didn’t feel the same despair she felt the last time she looked up at them. She still fell sad and guilty, but he made her feel like she made the right decision… until she received that fucking call. She started walking faster in a hurry to get to him so he could reassure her once again that it was the right decision.</p><p>Half an hour later she was descending the steps of his home having convinced herself that his mom was probably not home or maybe she still had a patient with her, right? It was not impossible. She was breathing fast trying to decide if it was because of the long walk of because she was simply nervous. As she rang the bell she took one last deep breath, “Here goes nothing”.</p><p>When the door opened her whole body tensed. “Can I help you?”, the lady at the door asked. She remembered her from her days at school but she always looked at Otis’ mom from afar, never this close.</p><p>“Shit”, was all she could say. She was nervous all over again and felt the urge to turn around and run. She made the bad decision of looking down and realising that she was wearing her regular clothes. Oh fuck that was a no no in her books, why haven’t she thought of wearing something more girlfriend material in case this happened.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Mrs. Milburn looked confused and gobsmacked. Oh no, she just cursed at the woman. What a first impression, way to go you idiot.</p><p>“Fuck, I’m so sorry”, she just cursed again. FUCK! Could she at least do something right? As she put her hands over her mouth his mom opened her mouth again.</p><p>“Are you lost sweetie?” Maeve shook her head still holding her hands over her mouth, “Are you here to sell something? Because if so, I’m really not interested.”</p><p>“I think I should go”, she just ruined it. Again, she ruined the moment of meeting a parent. As she turned to leave she hears the sound of another voice and instant relief goes through her body.</p><p>“Mom, who is it?” Otis appeared by his mom side, “Oh, hi Maeve” he reached for her like she didn’t just fuck everything up, with the biggest smile on his face and with so much love in his eyes that he almost made her forget the situation, “Mom, I’d like you to meet Maeve, she’s my girlfriend”.</p><p>“Oh, so you’re the famous Maeve. I was starting to think you were just a fragment of my son’s imagination”, she said laughing “I’m really glad to meet you”.</p><p><em>Come on, come on don’t ruin this even more. </em>Her voice weak when she extended her hand and said “Hi, Mrs. Milburn. It’s really good to meet you"</p><p>"Nonsense, come here” she was not ready for that hug. She just stood there, being held like a freaking doll. “And please, you call me Jean, Maeve”.</p><p>She felt Otis approaching and putting his arm around her “Come on, let’s go inside”, he guided her as they walked behind his mom, “Just breathe, it’s ok Maeve” he whispered in her ear. Her body relaxed a little but she was still nervous.</p><p>They entered the kitchen area and she couldn’t help but notice the difference since the last time she was here at that stupid party. That first time she didn’t take the time to look around she was jittery and worried about facing Otis. Now she didn’t want to look curious but she looked everywhere taking it all in. It looked even bigger without all those people in it.</p><p>“Would you like some tea, Maeve?” She didn’t know how to answer. She didn’t want to bother but she also didn’t want to sound ungrateful or impolite. She looked at Otis and he instantly realised what she was trying to say.</p><p>“I’ll have some, mom. What flavour would you like?”, he asked looking back at her.</p><p>“Whichever you will drink is fine” she couldn’t help but give him a soft smile. She was so screwed.</p><p>“Alright, tea it is!” his mom got busy filling the tea pot and making conversation with Maeve. Otis motioned for her to sit down and he made the same, sitting right next to her and putting his arm on her chair behind her back. She was afraid the hard questions would come but Jean only asked about school. That made her feel little more relaxed.</p><p>She was explaining her latest assignment for the aptitude classes when Jean wobbled and held on to the skin.</p><p>“Mom, are you ok?” Otis was out of his sit and beside his mom in a second. She also got up but stood still waiting to see what it was.</p><p>“Yeah, just a little dizzy. I think I better sit down” Otis sat her down across from Maeve at the table. She noticed Jean got paled and her mouth was white.</p><p>“Do you think it’s because of the…” he looked at Maeve, not sure if he should say this in front of her. That was weird. They told each other everything.</p><p>“Yes, it’s probably because of the pregnancy” WHAT? Otis’ mom was pregnant? What the hell. She probably looked spooked because Jean started talking to her as if she owned her any explanation.</p><p>“I’m two months pregnant. With Ola father’s baby”</p><p>“Oh" was all she managed to say. When Jean opened her mouth to say more Otis’ mobile started ringing.</p><p>“It’s Eric. I’ll take this and be right back”, he said as we walked to the balcony.</p><p>“I’m not keeping it”</p><p>Well that was a shock. She mistakenly thought that abortions were a concern of mostly teenagers, she never thought of an older woman going through the same as she did a while ago. It seemed like a life time now but she could still remember the uncertainty, the fear.</p><p>“I haven’t told Otis yet. I’m not sure how he’ll take it”, she was nervous, clasping her hands like she didn’t know what to do with it. Maeve could totally relate to that.</p><p>“I think he will take it pretty well”</p><p>“Why do you think that?”</p><p>“Because he was the most supportive person when I went through the same thing” well, the cat was definitely out of the bag. She braced herself for the judgement she was certain would come at any second. Would she make her leave their house? Would she forbid Otis from dating her? OMG she just tossed her relationship out of the window, didn’t she? Fuck, fuck, fuck.</p><p>“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Specially at such a young age. How did your parents react to it? Were they supportive?”</p><p>She took a deep breath, <em>here goes nothing.</em> “I don’t have my parents to support me” Her whole body was tense and she didn’t dare move a muscle.</p><p>“Are they no longer here?” Jean’s voice was smooth, like she realised the tension in Maeve’s body and was trying to be cautious.</p><p>“No, I never met my dad and my mom left again”, and before Jean could ask she just blurted “she’s a drug addict and she was using again”</p><p>“I’m really sorry to hear that”, Maeve noticed she was trying to decide if she should say something more.</p><p>“It’s ok, I’m used to it now and that’s why Otis was there for me, I needed someone to pick me up. He was the most supportive person I could have asked for”. He really was and she was glad she asked him to do that.</p><p>“I don’t know if he will be that supportive with me, but I’m too old to start over with another child right now and I’m not with the father anymore. I don’t think I can do it, specially without the support of the father”. She seemed to be such a confident woman when she walked around school that Maeve was having a whiplash with this vulnerable version sitting right in front of her.</p><p>“What am I saying, I’m sorry, Maeve I shouldn’t have dumped this all on you”, she started getting up but Maeve stopped her.</p><p>“It’s ok, it’s nice to talk to an adult about this. I never had my mom to talk to or any adult around me for that matter. What I’m trying to say is this is a nice change and I can be there for you if you’d like. At the clinic I mean”. She barely knew her but she felt like she needed the support. “I can also talk to Otis, butter him up so he’s not caught off guard”.</p><p>“That’s really nice of you, Maeve. I’ll have to think about it, so I can make the best decision. I don’t want another fight with Otis”.</p><p>“It’s ok, you let me know and I’ll do it” She realised Jean was really easy to talk to. Maybe it was the therapist in her that made people talk, just like Otis did. When he returned to the table Maeve was telling his mom a bit more about her up bring.</p><p>She didn’t feel like making a run for the bathroom, she didn’t feel like running at all and that put a smile on her face.</p><p>“What’s that smile for?” He said as he sat by her side once more.</p><p>“Nothing, I’m just glad to be here” and she was, she really was. This place made her feel relaxed, or maybe it was due to the people inside it.</p><p>“Well, you’re welcomed to visit as often as you’d like”, Jean said looking at her and giving her a smile. All she could do was smile back.</p><p>The three of them engaged in various topics of conversation, it was like she knew them her whole life. How weird was that? When she looked up at the clock she was startled to see that it was way past the polite hour to be at someone’s house. A wave of sadness went through her body, thinking about that lonely caravan that was waiting for her.</p><p>“I should really go, it’s late”, she said getting up.</p><p>“You could stay over if you want”, Otis said. She wanted to, so much that she hesitated. But this was her first time meeting his mom, she felt like a sleepover would be disrespectful.</p><p>“You could, Maeve. I really don’t mind”, his mom said. She had time, she didn’t want to rush things, specially since they didn’t have their first time yet. It was better to avoid temptation.</p><p>“It's ok, I’ll come back another time”</p><p>“I’ll take my bike then, I don’t want you walking alone”, he knew her body language so well, he knew he didn’t have to insist for her to sleep over, he just got her.</p><p>“Ok"</p><p>As they were ready to walk out the door after she said goodbye to Jean, she said “Tomorrow night we are having a Sandra Bullock marathon, Maeve. You’re welcomed to join us if you’d like”.</p><p>All Maeve could manage were a few blinks and a soft smile towards her. She replied with a soft “I'd live to, thank you”</p><p>If only she had known that she was about to make some great memories with this family.</p>
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